Officer Charged With 2nd Degree Manslaughter In Shooting Of Unarmed Black Man

L-R Kim Potter, Daunte Wright

CBS News reports that Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center police officer who shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright, will be charged with second-degree manslaughter.

Potter, a 26-year veteran who killed Wright, 20, resigned on Tuesday, along with the city’s police chief, officials said.

Wright’s killing has sparked nights of protests and more than 60 arrests were made overnight following clashes with law enforcement, CBS Minnesota reported.

On Monday, Police Chief Tim Gannon said Potter meant to use her Taser but instead grabbed her gun. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the fatal shooting.

Potter was reportedly taken into custody this morning at 11:30 a.m.

The charge of second-degree manslaughter has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Many have questioned how a 26-year veteran police officer could confuse a gun and a taser which, according to reports, feel, look, and weigh very differently.

“Tasers are often produced in bright colors, or with neon accents, to distinguish them from pistols,” reports the New York Times. “The Brooklyn Center Police Department manual cites the Glock 17, 19 and 26 as standard-issue for the department. All three pistol models weigh significantly more than a typical Taser.”